The Classicist: Early Spring Style Starring the Volvo S60

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed)
Apr 4th 2011 at 1:01PM

The new Volvo S60 R-Design, the marque's sportiest model ever, serves as the inspiration for The Classicist's latest installment of seasonal style (see the late winter edition here).

As previewed by our brethren at Autoblog at the Paris Auto Show, the S60 R-Design amps up what Volvo had already declared to be its first "naughty" model; ask anyone who knows us – we've always had a soft spot for naughty models. The car's snappy 300-horsepower 3.0-liter inline turbo six remains unchanged, but the R-Design designation adds some styling upgrades that give it an aptly more aggressive stance.

These include a grille painted in glossy piano black, color-matched body components, details in matte special finish, twin exhaust pipes and unique five-spoke 18-inch diamond cut wheels. Sport seats and some other built-for-speed interior details round out the upgrades and make for a stylish ride indeed, backed up by Volvo's impressive safety record and Scandinavian attention to detail (we like naughty Scandinavian models even more). Practical sports cars may be something of a paradox but the S60 R fits the bill nicely.

On to some of our signature pairings, with something of a matching Scandinavian flair inspired by our choice of wheels and a couple other items on our radar recently – the amazing handmade hunting rifles from Sweden's VO Vapen and one of our favorite new books, The Swedish Country House, covering 20 timeless retreats ranging from royal palaces to farmhouses. On the style side, we've got the Hamilton jacket from Ralph Lauren Purple Label (above) crafted from supple Italian calfskin in a trim silhouette and belt for tying rakishly on the side. Inspired by classic motorcycle racing jackets of the kind worn by Steve McQueen, the luxurious leather gives it enough panache for even the poshest of places your S60 can take you to.

Gallery: Volvo S60 Style

On the wrist, we're sporting the new 40th anniversary edition Rolex Explorer II, yet another Steve McQueen-inspired item – he made the original 1971 model famous. As for footwear, without a doubt this still-dodgy weather requires a rugged (but not too bulky) pair of handmade Red Wing leather and canvas Wabasha boots with lug soles from the classic brand's Heritage collection. We love the way they wrap around your foot and seem to demand action. And of course we never go anywhere without a great pair of sunglasses – in this case the Ryko model in tortoiseshell from California's cool R A E N Optics, designed for writers and drinkers, they avow (I think we qualify).

We're also sporting a pair of trim-fit jeans from Levi's' new eco-friendlier Water-Less collection, which uses up less precious resources, available in a variety of finishes. And the perfect accompaniment – also ideal for carrying all this stuff in – comes in the form of the classic, capacious leather Cooper bag, also from Ralph Lauren, with vintage-inspired good looks in a new calfskin color and finish pairing perfectly with the jacket. Time to hit the road....

See more classic style at jaredpaulstern.com

Tags: bags, cars and style, clothing, luggage, mens style, R A E N Optics, Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Cooper bag, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Red Wing, Red Wing Shoes, Red Wing Wabasha Boots, Rolex, Rolex Explorer, Rolex Explorer II, Scandinavia, Steve McQueen, Sweden, The Classicist, VO Vapen, Volvo, Volvo S60, Volvo S60 R-Design